The days are long, but the years are short...

 Time.  That illusive bandit that sneaks up on you before you even know it.  One second you are meeting your precious newborn baby for the first time, the next she is telling you she has a great idea.  Where does time go?  Not sure, but it goes so fast.  By the same token, when it comes to parenting, there are days when you just want to pull your hair out, throw in the towel, get them to bed-- and start over the next day.  It's a funny thing.

The passing of time has become all more apparent to me working in Brent's dental office.  Naturally, he sees his patients every six months for cleanings and check-ups.  Once you see people in increments of 6 months and it seems like you just saw them a month ago, it really starts to click that life is moving FAST-- with no signs of stopping.  A particular parent of two of our patients is such a delight.  She's always calm and collected.  She goes with the flow.  And is just a nice person.  I have been in the office the times she has come and we always chat. Somehow we got into the conversation of time and raising two small children.  And she said..."It's like my Dad always use to say, what's that quote...oh yeah...the days are long, but the years are short."  I hadn't heard that phrase before.  Maybe I've been living under a rock...but this was new wisdom...and, in my opinion, this quote just nails it.

There are some days when you feel like you can't do anything right, some days when you feel like your kids are just going to stay in meltdown mode the entire day, some days when you are staring at the clock wondering if 6 o'clock is too early to start bedtime, and some days when you raise the white flag and vow the next day will be better.  And if you are like me, you are harder on yourself those days than anyone else will ever be and go to bed dwelling on what you could have done better.

Other days, everything seems to come together, everyone is happy, everyone is getting along, dinner is on the table at 6:00 p.m. sharp, bedtime goes off without a hitch, and life seems miraculously easy and simple-- and you think, yeah we could manage another child (or two)...not sure Brent ever had this thought though (ha)...

I guess all these days mix together to make this little thing we call L.I.F.E.  And in the long run, some days may seem SO long, but time truly is so short.

That quote and concept is something that has helped me a lot lately.  I was struggling with balancing working and time with my children.  I ultimately decided to cut back on my time in the office during conventional work hours and have opted for a more non-traditional schedule a.k.a. working while my kids are asleep or on the weekends when Brent is home to fulfill my office manager duties.  I still have a sitter 2 afternoons a week (she was coming 5), but I am spending more time with my children.  Being home can be challenging--It requires me to be unconditionally patient and unconditionally "on" with the two little people I influence the most and love more than words could ever say.  Mommies aren't really allowed to have grumpy days.  But, Ella and Ava Jane are growing so quickly and I don't want to miss out on their littleness and all the precious moments that are fleeting.  I'm so fortunate that Brent is supportive of this schedule shift and is happy that I am spending more time with the girls.  All in all it's been a good thing for our family.  For a while there I was feeling overwhelmed and guilty that I wasn't home when I could be.  So yes, some days are LONG... but ultimately, the years are much too SHORT.

We are trying to live life embracing this concept so that just maybe, when our kids are grown, we can say that it all went too quickly, but appreciation each day (long or short) made our time together more meaningful with less regrets and more wonderful memories made...

And my...they grow fast!!!  Some picture comparisons from just a year ago... and I promise next post will be more light-hearted.  It's about Ella's Halloween plan...and it involves the whole family dressing up...it's pretty funny.